18 October 2012
Australia boosts rural health care in Madang
Australia is increasing access to better health care for three districts of Madang Province with the building of 3 aidposts and staff accommodation for its health workers.
Australia through the Incentive Fund provided K1.3m to the Madang Catholic Health Services for the construction of 11 houses and 3 aidposts in Sumkar, Madang and Bogia.
The funding is part of K5.5 million provided to the Madang Catholic Health Services (CHS), under the Rural Health Infrastructure Development Project to restore effective care delivery in the Middle Ramu, Bogia, Sumkar and Madang districts.
“Collectively, Churches provide half of the country’s health services, especially in rural areas and this project signifies the contribution churches make in improving and increasing access to better health care in rural areas,” said the Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ian Kemish.
“Once completed the infrastructure will increase the number of people receiving medical treatment within the communities, decrease infant and child mortality rates in the 4 districts. There will also be a decrease in the number of women dying in child birth as health workers will be accommodated at the health centre,” said Mr Kemish.
The building infrastructure will also increase community and health worker satisfaction with health services provision.
Since the year 2000, Australia has built about 350 million kina worth of health and education infrastructure in PNG through the Incentive Fund.
“Of the 20 projects that the Incentive Fund supports in this current phase, I am also very pleased to say that 7 are within the health sector and 13 are in the Education sector.”
“We are proud that this partnership with PNG has delivered such strong results over a long period for the people of Papua New Guinea,” said Mr Kemish.
The Incentive Fund supports well-managed organisations to access funding for innovative projects that have a strong development impact for the men, women and children of Papua New Guinea.